BeatStep co-creator Glen Darcey chats to Source about the inspiration behind the design, his first experiences with synthesizers and also how he’ll be using BeatStep in his own analogue-heavy synth studio.

BeatStep is also a 16-step analog sequencer for creating all kinds of musical phrases to be sent to analog synthesizers, MIDI drum machines, MIDI keyboard devices, or computer programs. Its connectivity options let you interface BeatStep with a computer or iPAD using USB, a drum module using MIDI or an analog synthesizer equipped with CV/GATE.

It’s priced at US $129 / EURO 99, and is expected to be available in March.

I created (very easy, without reading the user manual lol) 4 sequences and assigned to each one a MIDI channel to send it to Virus Ti2 2 in multi mode. Easy to remove or to silent the steps.
Many thanks to Dragos Manea (owner of the Schrittmacher).
More on http://www.albaecstasy.ro

An electronic music piece representing the mindset of a humanoid on the way home from work. This is live performance / improvisation with sequencers. No computer involved.
This is also a prelude to “Are We There?” – his journey back to work.

The Andromeda A6 is a true analog synthesizer using two analog oscillators per voice, sub-oscillators, hard and soft sync and more! It features 16-voice polyphony. With the Andromeda, you’ll find a huge range of tonal possibilities: searing leads, warm pads, fat bass lines, extreme sound effects and more. And of course there are plenty of knobs (72) and buttons (144), even an assignable ribbon controller for addictive hands-on real-time control! The large high-resolution LCD display is excellent and shows you actual rather than relative values of parameters. Andromeda will integrate seamlessly into any studio with its total MIDI control and sync, individual voice outputs, stereo outputs and several audio inputs.

Andromeda is completely analog – no emulation! It features two analog filters per voice that sound great! They are a multimode 2-pole and a 4-pole lowpass. External audio can be routed through these filters too (three 1/4″ jacks)! As for modulation, Andromeda has three LFOs, each with six waveforms and they can be synced to MIDI clock. And there are three 7-stage envelopes with very creative and flexible functions. Also onboard is an extensive mod matrix for enormous freedom in configuring Andromeda’s sounds!

No analog synth would be complete without a set of classic effects and features. Andromeda also offers Portamento with nine slopes and legato functions. A built-in arpeggiator and analog-style sequencer are available, with MIDI sync! There are also some high quality digital effects such as reverbs, chorus, echo, distortion and more! Andromeda comes with 256 breathtaking preset patches plus 128 user. A PCMCIA-format memory card slot allows for additional programs and mixes. Andromeda is pure analog bliss, with all the features, stability and widgets of modern digital synths.

Josh Levy has released the Tick Tick Step Sequencer, a pattern sequencer Rack Extension for Reason.

Tick Tick is a polyphonic button-style step sequencer designed to control your BOOM 808 Percussion Synth as well as other Reason drum machines, and monophonically send notes to other Reason synthesizers and devices.

Chain multiple Tick Tick units together, each with its own pattern, to create complex combinations, and even entire songs.

Tick Tick includes a full beat pack by Reason Refill maker -008′. Also included are contributed demo beats, combis, and over 1,500 scales and modes.